Kovalev bullies Pascal-Boxing Challenge

Sergey Kovalev punished Jean Pascal for every minute of their rematch, and after round seven of their one-sided drubbing, Pascal's trainer, Freddie Roach, called off the bout and Kovalev retained his WBA, IBF, and WBO Light Heavyweight titles in Montreal.

Kovalev scored unofficial knockdowns in each of the first two rounds, but the referee missed each one and battered Pascal from buckle to buckle throughout the bout.

Kovalev threatened to carry Pascal in order to prolong the punishment for Pascal's pre-fight comments that accused Kovalev of being a racist, and usually, those types of comments are typical hyperbole.
However, on this occasion, Kovalev took those statements to heart and then did exactly what he said- pound away and hand Pascal the type of punishment that destroys careers.

This fight brought another to mind from almost fifty years ago when Muhammad Ali refused to put away Ernie Terrell and administered a fifteen-round beating when Terrell refused to call Ali by his name and instead called him by his previous name, "Cassius Clay".
The most exciting part of watching the fight was the post-fight interview with Kovalev, who called out WBC champ Adonis Stevenson by calling him "Adonis Chickenson".
Stevenson then "tried" to get Kovalev, but as the video shows below, you really don't want to get to a guy when the color commentator holds you back with one arm.
Stevenson has shown little interest in actually fighting Kovalev, and despite television politics playing somewhat of a part in that, Stevenson wasn't interested in the bout when it could have been made, when he was affiliated with HBO.
Since Stevenson isn't interested and a potential bout with Andre Ward is not until the fall (not that I'm convinced that Ward will ever fight the bout), Kovalev looks to have a stay busy bout later in the year to stay active, just in case Ward decides to take the fight.

In the boxing challenge, R.L. Malpica and I each earned two points for the Kovalev knockout, while I added two for the Dmitry Mikhaylenko unanimous decision over Karim Mayfield.
R.L. selected Mayfield.
I scored Mikhaylenko a 100-90 winner.
The boxing challenge currently stands at 13-7.

A reluctant decision and boxing challenge

The Boxing Challenge rolls on with an HBO doubleheader from Montreal as Sergei Kovalev defends three of the four light heavyweight titles (WBA,IBF and WBO) in a rematch from last year vs Jean Pascal.
Kovalev stopped Pascal in eight and even though I thought the referee's stoppage was OK,many thought it was a hair premature.
Considering that Kovalev doesn't have a lot of other options with Adonis Stevenson (WBC Champ) seemingly uninterested and a potential fight with Andre Ward at the end of the year (I'll still be surprised if that ever happens),a rematch with Pascal will draw in Montreal,so it makes sense to keep Kovalev active and do it again....

This will be the first chance that I have had to announce that I have begun to recognize the WBO as a world championship.
I fought this as long as I could as the WBO has been around since 1988 and I really didn't (and still don't) think that four titles are needed.
However,through the years,the WBO champions have improved,are often the best in the division and for a sanctioning body in boxing,haven't been totally putrid in their decision making process.
I'm not thrilled with this nod,but it was time.

Why is this such a big deal to me?
Here's why-Since 1982,I have written into various notebooks the results of each fight that I watch on television.
These books are now closing in on 35 years old and I try to keep them as accurate as possible.
For WBO title bouts,I would always write for example-Light Heavyweights,12 rds.
That changes tonight.....

I lead the boxing challenge 9-5 in the initial stage of the run.

WBA,IBF and WBO Lt.Heavyweight Titles.12 rds
Sergei Kovalev vs Jean Pascal
R.L.:Kovalev KO 4
TRS:Kovalev KO 6

Welterweights. 10 rds
Dmitry Mikhaylenko vs Karim Mayfield
R.L:Mayfield Unanimous Decision
TRS:Mikhaylenko Unanimous Decision

Podcast:Baseball Numbers,Strat O Matic and Rashida Jones!

We talk about Baseball,it's reliance on advanced numbers and how it could be working against building a fan base,Strat O Matic on the PC and the hilarious Rashida Jones and her new show-Angie Tribeca!

Browns hire Andrew Berry as Personnel Head

The Cleveland Browns finished their front office overhaul with their hiring of Andrew Berry to run their personnel department.

Berry is 28 and has only worked for the Indianapolis Colts since leaving Harvard as a three time Ivy League cornerback.

Now,as soon as you see Harvard on the resume',the easy assumption is "OK,here we go another Ivy League brain to toss on the pile as the Browns continue to try to show that they are the smartest bunch in the room".
However-you would be wrong to think that way.
As mentioned,Berry played four years at Harvard and his background with the Colts was in personnel (more pro scouting than college),so this is not what you could call an "egghead" hire.

The Colts recent drafts have not been impressive,but as noted above,Berry was more instrumental in the pro scouting than college,so I think giving Berry any credit or blame would be an overreach in judgement.
In any event,this is a football person in a football position (which is more than I can say for Sashi Brown at this time) and despite being a little light on the background (who wasn't at 28),Berry seems like a really bright guy that knows far more than numbers about the game.

I'm not saying I love the hire,but considering the constraints of the position placed on it by the Browns,you weren't going to get a person with a long list of successes and if you did hire someone with experience,you were likely going to get a Martin Mayhew type (failure with the Lions and a Browns interviewee).

I'm still filled with mixed thoughts on the revamp.
I love the hire of Hue Jackson as head coach,Paul DePodesta is an interesting hire to say the least and I'm mildly positive on Andrew Berry,but I'm still a bit uneasy on Sashi Brown and I really wish that Alec Scheiner would have gotten the axe.

In the beginning of yet another Browns era starts soon and I'm really interested in seeing just what value this front office has on free agents (keeping and getting from other teams) and especially in the draft.
The players are set-now it's just sitting in our seats and waiting for the curtain to rise....

Quick Update

Sorry that I haven't been around for the last few days.
It took me that long to recover (and my driveway still isn't finished) from a 72 hour shift from the snowstorm...

I'm planning on a podcast tonight and I have a neat blog planned for later in the week as we return to the forgotten superstars universe!

Two quick notes as well

Today is the 49th anniversary of the fire inside Apollo 1 during a test procedure.
It was the first tragedy in the American space program and it shouldn't be forgotten as it cost the lives of Gus Grissom (second American in space),Ed White (first American to walk in space) and Roger Chaffee.
The sacrifices that are made in exploration of space and the knowledge gained from such should always be remembered..

The wrestling world lost Archie "the Mongolian Stomper"Gouldie at the age of 79 after not waking up from surgery on a broken hip.
The Stomper was the top headliner for years in Calgary's Stampede territory and the Tennessee/Georgia areas as a heel.
The Stomper would never speak in the United States as he would use a manager to play the monster heel,but would give pretty strong interviews in Stampede.
Why? Well,Gouldie was from Calgary and knew that putting on a facade of being unable to speak would expose the business in a time that it didn't want to be exposed.....

On the Signing Front

We don't finish up the complete pile,but we do finish the in person portion of the graphing season.
After this,I think the pile will be things that my friends and traders were able to get signed for me.

A trip to Altoona late in the season with Kendall Morris saw me get Nick Williams on his heritage and just miss J.P.Crawford as the two got to Kendall and I,they were pulled away.
The result meant I didn't get the other Williams card signed and missed Crawford all together on this trip.
Other than the 1 Williams,the only other card I was able to get was Ethan Martin on a 2013 heritage.
My friend Brett Shaw got two Curve players for me with Jose Osuna signing three and Erich Weiss adding one...

The final series of the season in Hagerstown was another visit from the Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox).
Kannapolis was mainly team set cards,although I did add Thad Lowry from the SAL top prospect set.
The Suns brought up Jefry Rodriguez and I got Rodriguez to sign his Auburn and SAL prospect card,while both of the players in the New York/Penn top prospect sets from the Nationals signed as Suns in Erick Fedde and Andrew Stevenson.

A visit to Harrisburg for the Richmond Flying Squirrels allowed me to finish up the Giants AA team.
I was able to get a rehabbing Tanner Roark to sign his 2015 heritage card for the Senators.
I grabbed a few Squirrels with one of my favorite players all season Tyler Beede signing his Red Ice Bowman,Stars and Stripes,San Jose and Debut and the other of note was former third rounder Chase Johnson on cards from Salem-Keizer,Augusta and San Jose.
I also added Fresno cards from the past for Juan Ciriaco and Jackson Williams.
I always buy Columbus,Indianapolis and Sacramento (previously Fresno)to have them,but I rarely get cards from those sets finished,so it's always nice to add any that I can get...

We wrapped up the Frederick Keys season with a visit from the Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox).
The Dash initially claimed that they were not going to produce a team set this season,but the arrival of first rounder Carson Fulmer likely changed their mind.
So we had a team set to do and Mike Oravec and I did the Dash.
Mike worked on the Dash for us,while I did the home Keys and Orioles outfielder Dariel Alvarez for us.
Alvarez was playing for the Keys because the Orioles were in Toronto against the Blue Jays and for some reason Alvarez is not allowed in Canada.
So every time that the Orioles play in Toronto (twice a year),Alvarez has to find another place to play and keep sharp,
Alvarez signed his 2014 Bowie,Eastern League All-Star and 2015 Bowman's and was very nice doing it....

For the Dash,between Mike's work and another trip in the series,I was able to clear out the Dash set and Kannapolis players that had been promoted.
The best catch was Carson Fulmer on his Dash card and two USA cards with another interesting addition was former Olympic silver medalist in speed skating Eddy Alvarez on an Olympic card.
Alvarez was very nice and through the season when we got him on various team set cards and I enjoyed talking to him....

I think that finishes (no promises) the in-season signing,but I still have the pile filled with stuff from others,so the signing front is far from over!!!

Garcia decisions Guerrero-Boxing Challenge

The boxing challenge rolled on as the PBC hit Los Angeles on a three bout card.

In the main event Danny Garcia took a unanimous decision over Robert Guerrero to win the vacant. WBC welterweight title.
Guerrero started quickly by winning three of the first four rounds,but would win just one thereafter as Garcia won on my card 116-113.
Garcia appears to be a good not great fighter that looked awfully slow in this victory.

The undercard fights saw one exciting and one sleep inducing (although the awful announcing on Fox could take care of the latter) bout to round off the evening...

In a dull welterweight bout,Sammy Vasquez won every round on his way to a sixth round TKO when Aron Martinez claimed an elbow injury at the end of the round.
The heavyweights put on a better show as undefeated Dominic Breazeale pulled out a miracle win when Amir Mansour couldn't continue after the fifth round after Breazeale broke Mansour's jaw near the end of the fifth.
Mansour dropped Breazeale in the third round and held a healthy lead on my card at the time of the surrender.
Breazeale is a prospect that looks ripe for the picking against anyone of Mansour's level or above..

In the boxing challenge-I earned five points to R.L.Malpica's three.
Each of us picked up two for the Danny Garcia win and one for the Sammy Vasquez victory.
The extra two points for me came on the Dominic Breazeale win..
The current tally has me ahead 9-5